


Love Ray

by Samjax



Category: Crash Bandicoot (Video Games)
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Alternate Universe, Assumptions, Enemies to Lovers, Feelings Realization, Flowers, Gift Fic, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Scheming, Science, Watching
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:49:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28369404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samjax/pseuds/Samjax
Summary: 'Hero's and villains don't get along.' That's true by definition. So when Cortex comes to realize his true feelings for a certain orange bandicoot, he decides to handle it in the same way he always chooses to deal with his nemesis. Consisting of science, schemes and his weapon of choice...a ray gun.(THIS FIC HAS BEEN ABANDONED)
Relationships: Crash Bandicoot/Neo Cortex
Comments: 8
Kudos: 19





	Love Ray

Evil eyes glowed maliciously, while a venomous smirk curled his lips. Cortex's eyes soon trained themselves upon a photographic image of the famous hero, Crash Bandicoot. Sitting in front of him, tacked up on a wall. Reaching over to a table, Cortex grabbed a fistful of darts with a tight, vice like grip. Quickly whipping around, the scientist hurled the small spear like weapons tword the photo and watched them punture through the thin, glossy paper. Just picturing that actually happening to Crash caused a smile of satisfaction to grow on his face. However, Cortex preferred his usual ray gun.

Chuckling to himself, Cortex strolled over and plucked the darts from the board, before walking back and flinging them across the room again with a great force. After the second round, he let them stay there, embedded in the wood as he laughed, "Ha, ha, ha! Ok I've got the frustration out of the way, now I just need another idea. Just one successful plot to go off of." Cortex groaned and ran one hand down his face, dragging his eyelids as he did. The rumble of his stomach directed his undivided attention away from his current thoughts. "And I can't proceed to plot Crash's demise on an empty stomach."

Turning on his heels, he exited the room and made his way tword the kitchen. He hoped a scheme would find its way into his brain during that breif interval while he had something to fill the emptiness within his stomach. Cortex figured that some food for thought might help.

Walking down the halls of Cortex Castle that were illuminated by candlelight, the scientist took in the interior decorations that had been placed around when his evil fortress was reconstructed to it's former evil glory. Curiosity of his humble and loyal Lab Assistants partnered with Koala Kong and Tiny (the strong members of the Cortex Commandos): all new carpeting, stained glass windows depicting images of the N Team, marble statues of Cortex sat atop podiums. Portraits of the Cortex family and Cortex's own henchman, along with many self portraits and moniters decorated the walls on either side. The scientist gave a satisfied sigh, all the work that had been put into rebuilding the base of his empire for the N Team and the Cortex Commandos had been well worth the wait.

* * *

Upon entering the kitchen, Cortex noticed N Gin at the stove stirring food in a pan, while the rest of his minions were settled around the table already chowing down. Among them was Uka Uka who immediately flashed a cold stare at Cortex who found his place at the table. "Well, well, look who decided to join us for dinner finally." The mask rolled his eyes. Even though he didn't eat, given the fact he was a mask, that didn't stop him from voicing the truth. "Took you long enough."

Cortex waved him off, "Yeah, yeah, I'm just here cause I'm starving and plus how can I plot that brainless bandicoots execution without some food? You know to help the ol' brain start working? Hm?" Cortex placed a hand over his rumbling stomach.

N Brio looked up from his plate and focused his gaze on his colleague and partner. "Still trying to rid yourself of Crash I see." The chemist observed, uncorking a beaker and taking a few sips as he ate the chicken wings that he had ordered for him and everyone else who wasn't Cortex. They knew that only on rare occasions that the madman of a scientist would bring himself to chow down on such fattening cuisine. Besides that, Cortex's meal of choice was as predictable as he himself was.

Cortex looked at him with worry in his eyes. All the chemicals couldn't possibly be good for Brio's system but Cortex ignored the current thought of asking him anything about it. Brio had been doing it for years, even back at the Academy. Why change anything now?

Pretty soon, Cortex answered back with a remark of his own. "Yes, I am. I will not rest until Crash is erased from existence. I brought him into this world by mistake and I can take him out as well!" Cortex declared, not even realizing he was still standing up. He had pulled out the chair but never bothered to sit down. Awkwardly, he took his seat as his usual dish was placed in front of him, curiosity of N Gin: buttered egg noodles. Butter on the side. "Ooh, my favorite dish." The cyborg then headed over to a drawer and collected a fork. Coming back he handed the utensil to his master. Cortex grasped it and stabbed some of the cooked pasta but his ranting didn't pause for even a breif moment, not even bothering to utter a thank you, "I mean all the time me, Uka Uka and Tropy were trying to free us from our imprisonment in the end of the universe, I was busy planning my revenge on Crash for putting us there for twenty two years after the Time Twister collapse."

"You were beating up a squeaky straw Crash doll you fashioned yourself and making little hash marks, instead of trying to help us escape. Talk about wasting years of your life." Uka Uka reminded. During their time being locked up after their banishment, him, N Tropy and Cortex had had the prison experience, feeling like they were serving a sentence. As those long years passed one after another, Cortex had tallied chalk marks on a rock to indicate the exact number of years.

Tropy gritted and then clenched his teeth hard in anger, clearly obvious that he was on the same page as the evil mask. "Agreed, do you even hear yourself sometimes Cortex?"

"Hear what?" Cortex asked, clearly confused as to what the time master was getting at.

N Tropy leaned over the table, mere centimeters from Cortex's own face.

"Your. Constant. Ranting. About. Crash." Nefarious stressed the words, hoping that Cortex would take notice. "You never stop droning on about him. On and on, all day every day, you mention how he's foiled your schemes and we're all sick of it and at our wits end. Right?" His tone became serious as he turned his head to the rest of the group. Cortex's eyes followed along with everyone as they voiced their own opinion and comments.

"Make noise stop. Tiny can't stand!" The Australian thylacine howled loudly, placing his talon clawed hands over his ears. "It too much!" Tiny's methods of drowning out his masters complaints didn't work. Every minion prayed that one day they could have full blown peace and quiet. Sadly, they feared it would only be a fantasy instead of reality.

"Agreed mate. We know that little bugger is the main root of yer anger doctor but we don't need ya tellin' us everyday. We get your frustration, we've all been beaten by him at least once, but at least we get over it and move on. If one day you actually manage to beat him, then you beat him." One of Dingodile's hands held his food, his other was resting on the handle of his trusty flamethrower located down by his feet. He was armed and ready. "The only peace we get is when we're all asleep. And if you's keep on whining and complaining like yer doing now, then yer gonna have to take it up with my flamethrower. Aye?" The dingo/crocodile hybrid threated, a low growl rising within his throat.

Cortex scoffed in between bites of food, "Do you guys keep track of every time I even mention Crash's name?" A nod from everyone gave him his anwser. "Well, my anger and complaining gotta go somewhere. Don't know of anyone else to vent to." Cortex himself didn't even realize how much he really droned on about Crash. Apparently his minions had been cataloging and organizing his ramblings and complaints for years since the first encounter with Crash.

"Master, why do you always rant about him multiple times a day? Isn't once enough?" N Gin was clearly sensing something other than hatred underneath, but he just couldn't put his finger on his artificially metal hand on it.

"Why? Cause he's my enemy." Cortex stated with a straight face. "Plain and simple as that." His testament was voiced as clear as day, no hesitation.

"No, no, no. I think there's something more behind that reasoning." Tropy smirked and cast that gaze to the group of mutants and humans seated around the table. Dinner had clearly been put on hold for the time being due to these new events.

"Well, what other possible reason could I have? What's your conclusion hm?"

"Honestly Neo, you haven't shut up about that bandicoot hero for years since we were stranded on that asteroid, and you beat up that dummy you made on a daily bases. Along with monologing here and there about what the real Crash would be in for once you got out. Any person who knew your history and your obvious obsession with Crash like we do would probably think you're in love with the guy."

The room instantly fell silent as all complaints directed at Cortex screeched to a halt. Everyone now stared at him; some minions with a look of surprise, their mouths hanging open, others bared a more mischievous smirk with an eyebrow raised. All except Nina who tried to avert her gaze away from her realative so he didn't think she was siding with his minions.

Cortex scooted his chair backward, his eyes widening in disbelief at Tropy's assumption. He didn't _love_ Crash...did he? "What? I...That's not true! I resent him with a passion!" He declared, the words coming out forced as he raised a finger and pointed it tword the celing. Cortex tried his hardest to sound confident but his now overwhelmed mind didn't know what to make of this situation.

"Um hm. Of course you do." Uka Uka narrowed his eyes and looked at N Tropy, now fully up to speed on what he was hinting at.

Grunting in frustration, the scientist stood up and straightened his posture. "I'm not gonna take this, your theory and accusations just made me lose my appitite. I'm gonna go finish repairing my ray gun instead of sitting here and listening to this. Been working late nights to reconstruct my weapon ever since it mysteriously disappeared after we had gotten sucked through that rift. I just need a few more details, here and there and then I'll go personally destroy that meddling mammal myself. I'll show you! First construct and then destruct, that's my motto!"

Huffing, Cortex turned and aggressively stomped up the stairs twords his room, slamming his door shut. After carrying out that action, some of the photos mounted on the walls rattled in response. It also caused N Gin and Nina to visibly flinch in terror.

"Pretty soon, he'll realize that Tropy is right." Brio said, his smirk still quirking his lips as he reached for another piece of chicken. "The signs are way too obvious. And he didn't need to explain that last part to us." He replied, now relieved that the tension in the room had subsided.

* * *

After dinner, everyone had retired back to their rooms for the evening. Most of them to relax while N Gin carried out the dish washing.

Everyone was good...except for one:

How could Cortex take it easy when he had made a protest and a statement twords N Tropy?

Cortex collected a box from beside his bed and dumped the contents out onto his work desk that had multiple lists and sticky notes sprawled all over it. There was a magnifying glass mounted on the side which Cortex used mainly for small detailing work. Grabbing the top of it, he brought it down to see the foundation where the main power source of plasma would be held in his weapon.

Sitting next to him were four small canisters, each containing the pure substance of varying colors: green, orange, black, and pink. As he tinkered with bits and pieces, the N Teams thoughts seemed to corrupt Cortex more and more.

* * *

The next hour for the scientist just seemed to go on forever, but he soon finished his revamped raygun. Cortex just needed to insert the plasma ammunition now. "Me in love with my own failed creation? Yeah right. I won't let the team tell me otherwise." Cortex's mind soon started to wander but the harder the scientist tried to push those potentially untrue thoughts away, they would find their way back. Turning his head upward, his eyes affixed themselves onto the dart covered photo of Crash, "I resent you Crash, I do rant about you a lot and I did build a plush of you so I could pretend I had finally won after so many defeats." Cortex tried his best to ignore it but a strange feeling was swirling in his gut as he tightened the last few screws. "I _do_ resent you, don't I?"

The teams words had gotten to him and pretty soon, Cortex found himself trying to remember what it was he hated about Crash.

Mentally, as he snapped the pieces into place and replaced the cover of his weapon, Cortex started to compile a list: ' _I hate that goofy smile on your face, those wild, yet calming green eyes, soft orange fur, your kind hearted and carefree nature..."_ The deeper Cortex thought about Crash's traits and qualities, the more N Tropy's observation lingered in his frontal lobe, causing him to sigh happily. Which was something he rarely ever did. Soon, reality smacked the man right in the face and he stood up suddenly, almost stumbling backwards and falling, tools still in his grasp. He managed to regain his balance however as set his instruments down, "Oh gosh, the teams right!" Cortex yelled out loud, before realizing that some of them were right within earshot of his room. Very swiftly, he clamped a hand over his mouth, soon feeling his face grow warm, courtesy of a blush creeping up on him.

He hoped his minions didn't detect anything that would further raise their suspicions twords him.

However, in that very moment, Cortex had come to face reality and the truth:

He was in love with his archenemy.

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, this isn't a oneshot or a full blown story, there are a couple more chapters planned after this, I just don't know how many. I just want to try a short story, instead of full length novel like A Twinsane Wedding. Keep in mind this story is a spin-off. Plus I've been curious to know why there's a love function on Cortex's ray gun from Twinsanity and this'll give you guys that very explanation. Yay! Come on, I think we can all agree there's only one reason. ;)
> 
> Me and Plaugedoctorbeaks here in the archive tried to collab on this very story but it never fell through, so I'm taking another crack at it. Going solo and taking my time, tweaking things and using the advice she gave me. 
> 
> Alright, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Until next time, keep smiling!


End file.
